Kreuzburg
by Love Affair With Distance
Summary: What if Seth Cohen had another reason to leave Newport?
1. Swing, Swing

**Kreuzburg**

**Summary: ****What if Seth Cohen had another reason to leave Newport?**

**So, I know I should write on various other things. But I wrote this a while ago, when I was so pissed off. And then I sent it to someone for them to read, and they forced me, against my will to continue it. So, I hope you like it. (:**

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"He knows," Summer Roberts' first words were into her silver cell phone as she paced back and forth in the room that her boyfriend had just been in. She sighed and waited for the reply to come and decided that prancing was just making her antsy. She took a seat on her purple sheets and fiddled with the pink comforter that covered them.

"Who knows what?" The voice on the other side of the phone said, oblivious. Even if the speaker had the idea of who knew what had happened just a couple of days ago.

"Don't play dumb with me, Chino," Summer shrieked into the phone, she almost hushed her voice down, realising it had raised a considerable amount, but she wanted Ryan to know she was mad at him, and she wasn't going to take any blame for anything. So shrieking into the phone seemed all there was in her desperate hour. "You know what I'm talking about. Your stupid, drunken mistake that you made."

"My mistake?" Ryan asked into the phone. "I do believe you were there, too."

"Yeah but you took advantage!" Summer shrieked into the phone. Frustrated with Ryan. Frustrated with herself. Frustrated with Seth. Even though she couldn't make herself mad at Seth, not at all. He hadn't done anything, except be a perfect boyfriend. She was the one that screwed up. She was the one that'd lost the said perfect boyfriend.

"God, Summer. Can you at least take part of the blame? For once in your life," Ryan commented bitterly as he paced the poolhouse, he knew this conversation, this argument was stupid. He was just stalling the inevitable. The pissed off Seth that would be in here, shouting and raving in about 15 minutes. Wait, if he was mad. Make that 10 minutes.

"Ugh," Summer grunted into the phone. "I don't care whose fault it was, at this moment in time. All I care about is that my boyfriend, and your best friend is angry with us. And we need to do something about it. Not pass the blame back and forth over a stupid drunken kiss that didn't mean anything to us," Summer said, in raised voice again.

Ryan sighed into the phone as he remembered Friday night of last week. He'd made more stupid mistakes in that night than in his whole entire life. And now, he all of a sudden felt like the typical kinda Newport guy. The type who cared about one thing. The type that didn't care who they stepped on, who they hurt, until they got it. It'd been their last day at school for the whole of summer, and Seth, Summer, Marissa and himself were, lets just say, ecstatic. With the idea of no school for the rest of the summer. The Theresa situation solved, and the chance to be normal teenagers just for a couple of months.

But now, it looked like it wasn't going to turn out that way. They'd all had a bit too much to drink, Summer and Ryan a little more than Seth and Marissa. Marissa, having just got over her little drinking phase only a couple of months ago. And Seth deciding he'd have more fun staying a little sober. They were tipsy, but nowhere near as drunk as Summer and Ryan.

Ryan was a bit of a lightweight, considering he was from Chino and all, but no one had seen Ryan get drunk, so they'd assumed that being from a rough neighborhood he'd be able to knock them back and still be fine. And Summer had mixed her drinks, and after her near 6 months of not drinking – due to the fact that they hadn't been to a Holly party – like the one they were at – in a while – she had gotten very drunk, very quickly.

And then Seth and Marissa had seemed to disappear off the face of the Earth when Ryan and Summer had gone off looking for them, giggling as they went. They'd fallen into a bedroom door by accident. And the next thing they both knew they'd woken up the next morning in the poolhouse with Seth and Marissa there, and memories of the night before, and their kiss.

It was weird, it was the only thing they remembered. Their lips exploring foreign grounds that belonged to their partners. And they weren't even sure how far they'd even gone. All they knew is that Marissa and Seth had found them at the bottom of the stairs, looking guiltily as they helped them home.

"How did he find out?" Ryan asked, anxiously while pushing a strong hand through his thin blonde hair. They had decided the next morning, when Seth had gone to shower, and Marissa had gone to her house to change and alert her mother that she still hated her and Caleb, that they would keep it a secret. That it was a mistake. And the only thing that the truth would do, was hurt people around them they loved and cared for. So keeping it a secret, drunken mistake was the way forward.

"Brad. He told him, earlier, he then came round here and I denied it at first. But I can't lie to him, Ryan. I can't, and I told him that we kissed and that was it, that it meant nothing. But he didn't believe me, he thinks we've been having an affair or something for ages, and that we slept together and everything," Summer said into the phone, and Ryan could tell, just from her tone of voice that she was near tears. It was here he decided this was serious, this wasn't one of them lame shows where they set random everyday people up, with cameras hidden. He'd already checked for the cameras.

"Brad? One, how did he know? And two, why would he talk to Seth?" Ryan asked shocked at the idea of one of the water polo players talking to Seth. 'Cause water polo players – and players in general – and Seth, didn't get on. They were rubber and glue. So there was no way either would talk to each other, unless they wanted something.

Summer sighed into the phone, and lay back on her bed as she recalled everything Seth had just told her, or more, yelled at her. "Well Seth was at the diner, on the pier, I have no idea why he was there alone, but Brad saw him, and thought that the perfect time to tell him that he'd seen us go into a bedroom, drunk, at the party on Friday," Summer said into the cellular device, her voice was now lower than before.

"Okay, I get that, what I don't get; why would Brad tell Seth? He gets nothing out of this," He wondered aloud as he saw the foyer light turn on in the main house. And he wondered if Seth was back yet. He needed to talk to him; he needed to explain himself, and his actions.

"He gets to see me and Seth break up. The 'geek' stops dating the 'popular girl'. And me single again," Summer assumed was the reason as to why Brad would've told Seth anything of her and Ryan's stupid, stupid, stupid kiss.

Ryan gulped as he saw the light come on in Seth's bedroom. He knew for a fact that Seth was home now. But his arrival wasn't what Ryan was expecting, he expected a bright red Seth to march up the steps towards the poolhouse, and yell at Ryan. But all he saw was a light illuminating the house, while all the others were turned off except the foyer one. And the flickering shadow of Seth moving in his room. No doubt pacing, and asking Captain Oats what to do.

"Yeah," Ryan said distractedly as he stared out to the window. Knowing he was going to have to go up to speak to Seth, to get a reaction, to get the apology he wanted, out into the open. So they could go and live the summer they'd all expected and hoped for; a drama free summer. "Listen, he's back, I'm going to have to go."

He could hear a slight gasp on the end of his phone and Summer muttered: "Good luck," before hanging up. He and Summer had never been the best of friends, anyway, so this latest debacle had only made them hate – or dislike – each other more. He breathed out, and then in, readying himself for any reaction Seth was about to give. He stepped out of the poolhouse and into the main house. The only person, who was in on the late Wednesday night, was Seth. Sandy and Kirsten were in LA for the night, taking some time out to have couple time.

Ryan had to laugh, him and Seth had decided, when the night had been arranged, that they'd invite Summer and Marissa round, and make good use of the house being empty. But now, it was going to be spent, with, what Ryan assumed, a lot of yelling, and Seth hating him.

He stood outside of the door, breathing out once more and shoving his shaking hands into his pockets. He didn't know how he was going to make Seth forgive him, how he was going to make this up to him. Seth had been his only best friend, in Chino he'd had friends and acquaintances but they never had his back. They never cared. Seth was there for Ryan one hundred and ten percent; he would never do anything to hurt Ryan. And Ryan had just gone and betrayed his trust; he was back to that 'typical Newport guy' theory he'd been thinking about earlier on that night.

He breathed in and finally clutched the gold, handle with his shaking, sweating hand, and proceeded to inch the door forward. When he walked into the room, though, he found Seth sat at his computer – his moving Ryan had seen from the pool house had ceased – and there was a slight hum in the room from the music playing – at the lowest possible volume, but still able to hear it – coming from the Apple Mac as Seth let his foot beat in time with the music as he stared aimlessly around the room.

Ryan had walked in on Seth like this one hundred plus times, so he almost laughed that he'd find Seth in his normal habits, even after he'd found out the news that was sure to jeopardize his future relationships, and future in general.

Seth brought his eyes up, that were averted to the floor, to look up at the visitor, even though he already knew whom it'd be. "Hey, man," And for a second, Ryan felt relief wash over him, maybe Seth wasn't as mad as Summer had made out. Maybe he'd calmed down a bit on the trip from Summer's to here, and he realised his best friend, and girlfriend, wouldn't do that to him. "Come to steal something else of mine?" He asked bitterly. And Ryan was back to staring at his feet awkwardly. He should've known. He should've known Seth wouldn't take this lightly – but who did? If he'd found out that Marissa and Seth had shared a kiss – no matter how drunk they were – he wouldn't have been responsible for his actions.

"Look, at least listen to what we have to say for ourselves," Ryan attempted; he could almost feel the hurt radiating from Seth's eyes. He hated himself, at that moment. How could he let Seth down? Letting Seth down, meant letting the Cohen's down. And that was the one thing he'd promised himself, upon moving in, he would never do; he'd never hurt the Cohen's, he'd do anything in his power to make sure he never took them for granted, never let them down. And he'd done just that. He'd let them down.

"No, I'm fed up of talking, for today," Seth said, as he stood up. And Ryan cringed at the unfamiliarity that cold-Seth brought. He was like a completely different person. Different from the one that had been dumped by Summer, 'cause of her dad. Different to the one that had been told his best friend might be leaving with Theresa. This one he didn't know. This wasn't his best friend. This was a whole other person. And Ryan hated it.

He brushed past Ryan and walked out of his blue bedroom. "Where are you going?" Ryan asked, concernedly. He didn't know what Seth was capable of, he didn't know what he could do, would do, in a rage. And he didn't trust this new, hurt, Seth with his best friend.

Seth snapped around and stared at Ryan, straight in the eye. It was a hateful look, that Ryan hadn't seen before, he'd thought that Seth could never actually get the 'glare' right on, but at that moment he had the glare, and more. And it made Ryan almost wince under his stare. "Out," He said, vaguely as he proceeded to move away from his bedroom. Away from his house. Away from Ryan.

"Well at least tell me where you're going," Ryan said, following Seth as he went to leave. "Please don't go, Seth. We need to talk, you've got it all wrong," Ryan pleaded, and all of a sudden, he could see that the tables had turned, usually this was Seth's job; pleading, whining, moaning. And his job to brood, ignore, and hurt.

"I have it wrong?" Seth asked as he shot round to give Ryan the same kind of glare he'd been on the receiving end of just a couple of minutes ago. "I think you got it all wrong when you slept with – or did anything with my girlfriend," Seth said the coldness in his voice still evident and Ryan really wanted to make him listen.

"Seth it's not like-,"

"You know what?" Seth asked, staying in the same position as Ryan took a seat on the stairs, hoping it would settle Seth, and make him sit down, too. But Seth didn't budge, and Ryan shrugged in response to his question. "You were my first friend, and now I realise, having a friend wasn't as important as I used to make it out to be, friends just hurt," Seth stated as he brushed past Ryan on the stairs and went to bound down them as he reached the foyer.

Ryan winced at the past tense. He was so disappointed in himself at that moment. He hated himself, more than Summer, more than Seth, more than anyone. "Seth, please I'm begging you, can I just expl-,"

"Did you kiss her?" Seth asked he was now standing before the door, and he'd whipped round to give Ryan a clear shot of his icy brown eyes.

"What?" Ryan asked, confused as he scrunched his eyebrows up. And tried to comprehend Seth's words. He was tired, emotionally and physically.

"You know, were your lips on hers? Did you French kiss? Anyway you want to put it!" Seth nearly shouted. And Ryan hated the tone of voice he was using; he'd never heard it on him. And it sound unnatural, but it wasn't faux.

He gulped and nodded, looking down at his shoes averting his eyes away from the brown orbs that he knew, for a fact, were burning into him. "Yes," He added in a whisper, thinking that maybe Seth hadn't seen the shy nod. But he had. And now he was just staring. He wasn't even staring specifically at Ryan. He was just staring. Here, Seth Cohen learnt what hurt actually felt like. Scraping your elbow when you fell off your bike, wasn't hurt. Hearing your parent's argue for the third time in a week, wasn't hurt. Knowing that the two people who you trust most in the world have gone behind your back, hurts.

Seth hated this feeling. He felt so angry, but so vulnerable. He'd hoped, when Brad had come and sat at his table that morning, running hands through his bleached blonde hair, and checking out the girls as they walked along the pier, he'd hoped he was lying. That his friends hadn't come over and agreed with Brad. But he had to believe it. It was the last piece to the puzzle. Seth wasn't stupid, infact he'd gotten A+'s most of his life, so when his girlfriend and best friend had been acting weirdly around him, and each other. He knew something was up.

And after having most of the afternoon to think about it, he'd come to the conclusion that it was all-true. They really wanted to be with each other, and they were just saving time 'till Ryan had enough money for them to run off and get eloped or something. Of course, Seth put the last bit down to his over-analysing mind. But he still felt betrayed, and stupid. He hadn't thought about their backgrounds – the fact that Ryan had probably cheated on his friends before with their girlfriends, or that Summer used to cheat on anyone with anyone. 'Just because I'm dating you, doesn't mean I can't kiss him,' she'd claimed to one of her boyfriends.

"Have you slept with her?" Seth asked, he was still staring but the iciness was gone from his eyes. But, Ryan thought anyway, this look was worse. It was empty. There wasn't any sign of the old Seth Cohen in there, none at all. Even with the hurt stares and icy stare's he'd been giving off five minutes ago, he'd seen flickers of the comic book loving Seth. But now, there was a nobody in front of him. A nobody that had stolen Seth's body. "Actually, you know what? I just, I just need to clear my head," Seth said, running a hand through his clean, much shorter, curls. His Mom had made him get a haircut for his Grandfather's wedding just the week before. "I'll be back later," Seth claimed over his shoulder as he turned his back to Ryan and walked out of the McMansion he'd been living in for nearly his whole life.

Ryan nodded, but it was no use, Seth couldn't see it. He was gone and Ryan sighed. It hadn't been how he'd expected it. He wanted to have everything out in the open, he wanted to be playing PS2 now, with Seth forgiven him. But when Seth had asked him if he and Summer had had sex, he didn't have an answer. He didn't know. He couldn't remember what had gone on in that room, he knew they'd kissed because he could still taste the sour taste of unfaithfulness on his lips. But had they slept together? He didn't know. He didn't know how much time they'd spent in that room, or what they'd done. He was ashamed. Even in Chino, he'd never forgotten anything while drunk.

And he was, again, back to feeling like Luke or Brad or someone, the type to cheat on his friends/girlfriends. He couldn't be that typical Newport guy. He didn't want to be that typical Newport guy. And he was going to do everything he could to not be like that.

-

Seth sat in the 'Summer Breeze' as it swayed softly in the water that looked black due to the sky above him. The moonlight illuminated his face, outlining his features. As the few stars twinkled up ahead. His hand dangled in the water, making various patterns as his mind wandered to various parts of the eventful day. He really wished he hadn't gotten up that morning.

He let his eyes fall down to the ripples he was making in the water. The water was calm, and the air was clear. Seth liked it like this, it was easier to think. Easier to decide what to do next. He'd already decided that staying with Summer was out of the question. She obviously didn't love him, she'd had the hots for Ryan when he first got here, so why shouldn't she now? It made perfect sense. She wouldn't want some pale, lengthy, scrawny, rambling, sarcastic, comic-book loving geek as a boyfriend. She wanted the tanned, muscular kind that could protect her. Why was she even with Seth, anyway?

So many questions swam around in his brain, piecing together clues, stringing along evidence. It all made sense now. Yet, nothing made sense.

It made sense with all the weird behaviour that had been surrounding Summer and Ryan lately. But it didn't make sense at to what he should do now. He was down a best friend, and girlfriend. He couldn't even tell anyone and get guidance from them; if he told Marissa, she'd either not believe him, or dump Ryan – and even though Seth hated him then, he couldn't do that – and he couldn't say anything to his parents, because who knows what their reaction would be.

So, Seth was screwed. He wanted to protect his ex-best friend and ex-girlfriend from everyone. Make sure that no one hated them, but that meant keeping all of his feelings, all of him emotions, bottled up. And he just wasn't that kinda guy. He wore his heart on his sleeve. But, he guessed, that now he'd have to learn.

He sighed heavily and brought up his wet hand from the cold water, and rubbed it his jeans. He lay back in the boat named after the girl of his dreams, and sighed into the night air. He wished that he could go back to when the kiss happened, and make it… un-happen. And then he realised that they were the ones that should be having these thoughts, not him.

He really wished for someone else to be here, just so they could take away the insanity that the quiet night brought to him.

He sighed heavily into the light air, once more and he really didn't want to be Seth Cohen at that moment. He wanted to be someone different, someone new. Someone that didn't have to deal with this shit. He wanted a different life. He needed a break.

Without even a thought to anyone else he sat himself fully onto the white boat and started untying the ropes that connected the boat to Newport, and, he did it without realising, he steered himself out of the harbor. No destination to go. No plans on coming back. No change of clothes, no anything. Just Seth, and his boat.

-

**Hmmm, I actually kinda like this. I don't know why… anyway, this whole story is dedicated to Jordan – the person that has forced me to do this – why? I'm not quite sure, it just seemed nice.**

**So, you know what would make me even nicer/happier and eager to write for this again? I'll give you a hint, it begins with 'R' and is a 6 letter word.**

**Hmm…**

**(Thinks)**

**Okay, I'll tell you… it's…….. REVIEW!**


	2. Sleeping Lessons

**Kreuzburg**

**Sleeping Lessons.**

**This is NOT an RS! It is SS all the way, but I can't say _when_ they'll get together. Just so we're clear.  
**

-

What if I wanted to break  
Laugh it all off in your face  
What would you do  
What if I fell to the floor  
Couldn't take this anymore  
What would you do

– 30 Seconds to Mars – "The Kill"

-

There were three things to jerk Ryan awake from his less-than-peaceful sleep.

The annoying tapping that was coming from the foyer area.

The cramp in his neck that came from falling asleep on the couch.

And that heavy feeling that sat just above his heart, weighing it down.

He lifted his head awkwardly, in a real need for coffee. He'd only had two hours of sleep, waiting up for Seth all night was pretty tiring, apparently. And he wasn't even sure he was back yet. That thought scared the crap out of him, and he jumped up. But, he realised the annoying rapping that kept repeating was the door, not his head.

He all of a sudden thought it could be Seth; he rushed towards the door, not caring about anything.

But, when he reached the door he was greeted with the person he really didn't want to see.

"Where's Cohen?" The voice said. Summer. But she didn't look like Summer, like Seth last night, she seemed to be an impostor. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her voice was croaky, she was wearing jeans, a Death Cab hoody – that he assumed was Seth's – and a tank top under that.

The sunlight told him it was early morning, due to its height. And he creased his eyebrows; thoughts and questions kept wondering his mind. And he just wanted it to stop.

Before he could answer Summer's question, she'd pushed her way into the Cohen's McMansion, not waiting for an invitation, she knew that Sandy and Kirsten weren't in. Which was good – the three of them needed to sort this. Soon. And fast.

She was halfway up the stairs before Ryan got a chance to say anything. "I don't think he's here." The words sounded different to how he'd imagined them in his head. They came out a bit high-pitched – and he hadn't been high-pitched since he was thirteen.

"What'd you mean, you don't think he's here?" Summer's eyes squinted and beamed on him.

"I mean, that I don't know if he's here. He went out last night, and unless he came back in the last two hours, I don't think he's here." He finished quietly, talking to his shoes more than he was talking to her face. Her features softened, but not on him. Her pupils lowered and she started wondering, if he wasn't upstairs, in his bedroom, asleep but with his iPod still playing, where was he?

She carried on with her journey up the stairs, her feet moving faster than her brain and heart.

She bustled up and burst into Seth's room. There was no sign of him. His bed was made. His computer was still on, but the monitor off. She creaked open the bathroom door, hoping to find him in there. But nothing.

He was nowhere.

Which meant that this morning was not going to happen the way she planned. Like Ryan, she'd had barely any sleep. She'd been too worried/scared/unsure to sleep, and when she finally couldn't take it anymore at 5:30AM, she'd chucked on the first thing she'd found in her bedroom, grabbed her car keys and rushed down the stairs.

She made it to the Cohen's at 5:40; it took ten minutes less to get there than it normally did. Due to the fact that the roads were quiet and she was driving fast.

And her plan, her idea of what would happen, would to be that Ryan and her would tell Seth exactly what happened, and why they didn't tell them – him and Marissa. To apologize like crazy and dedicate their summer to making it up to him, and then they'd all get breakfast at the pier. Simple.

Or not.

She turned around to find Ryan leaning against the doorframe, the same regretful face as her.

"What happened?" She tried to keep her voice on the same octave, but the tears threatening to fall were affecting it.

"He came in, and he just… he wasn't Seth. I mean, he was, but he was just… different."

"Well, I guess, you can't expect him to react any differently. With… what we did." She whispered the last part, like it was a secret, not to be told to anyone.

Ryan shrugged and leaned his head on the doorframe. Wanting to crawl into a pit, and not get out.

Summer scratched her head, putting her hand to her forward, she didn't know what to do. She fiddled with the necklace that hung round her neck. Seth had bought it for her for a late valentine present in April. It was just a simple love heart, and while he'd put it on, brushing her hair out of the way he told her that the next year for her valentines present, he'd get their initials graved onto it.

She delicately laid it back on her chest and opened her shuteyes. "We have to find him." She rushed out of the door, pushing past Ryan, again. And he quickly followed. Eager to find his friend.

-

Seth had never been out of Newport, a whole night, alone. He'd of course gone up to LA a couple times to go and catch a Death Cab show or something. But never the _whole_ night.

He hadn't been to sleep, yet. But he wasn't tired, either. The cool, early morning breeze had kept him more awake than caffeine ever had. Plus the betrayal of his best friend and girlfriend was still fresh on his mind, and in his head, that kind of helped with the staying awake thing.

He wasn't sure where he was, he'd stopped off in some marine, but he wasn't exactly sure where he was. He squinted his eyes around, to try and make out something that might seem familiar to him, but nothing seemed to come to mind.

He knew if he probably delved deep enough, he would've come up with where he was. But his mind just wasn't there today. It was like there was only one thing his mind would let him think at one time. And it was reserved.

He pursed his lips together and delved his hand deep into his pocket, and luckily found his cell, and his wallet. He wasn't so sure that the phone was a good thing, but the money in the wallet certainly was.

He tied the boat up to the dock, and trod on land for the first time in hours. And made his way up the boarded harbor.

The place seemed familiar but due to fatigue that wasn't really showing itself, he just couldn't skip his mind to when he'd been here before. He found a small diner after about five minutes of walking. And decided that maybe some fuel would help him.

He went in, and the door made a noise that made everyone look up, and at him. He awkwardly shuffled into one of the booths while everyone that occupied the room went back to their breakfasts'. A blonde woman that only looked a couple years older than him came over to him. "Hi, can I help?" her voice was cheery, but her face was tired.

"Just a coffee please." He said, and she tried her hardest to smile and act like she meant it.

He sighed and drummed his finger on the side of the table. He looked round the room, examining it and saw a paper. He craned his neck and twisted his head at it. Picking it up, and straightening it out. Reading the cover. The San Diego Union-Tribune

Guess that was where he was then. San Diego.

He'd sailed down to San Diego last year, during the summer. And that'd only been once for half an hour. It explained why it's seemed horribly familiar but un-familiar.

He sighed, and then started wondering about home. He _wanted_ to think that there was already a search party out for him, or that his Mom and Summer were crying, while his Dad and Ryan held back their own tears.

He really, really, wanted to think that. But he knew it probably wasn't true. Summer and Ryan obviously didn't care as much as he'd thought. And he was sure his parents preferred their adopted son as apposed to their _own _son.

When he was little, Seth always used to get worried his parents didn't want him anymore. Like when his Mom would sigh heavily, put a hand to her forehead and say, "I don't know why I bother." Or when his Dad's face would go bright red from being furious at young Seth, and he'd just walk out of the room, slamming any doors in his way.

And when Ryan came, Seth promised himself that he would not get jealous of Ryan, and go into the whole sibling rivalry thing. But sometimes, if he'd lie about going out early in the morning, when he'd really stayed at Summer all night, and they found out. They never said it in actual words, but with their comparisons and looks, and the tones of their voice. He could tell they were screaming in their mind. "Why can't you be more like Ryan?"

It really stung, and hurt, and cut him deep. Why couldn't he be more like Ryan? Why couldn't people like him the best out of him and Ryan. He always used to rely on Summer for that, but it turns out she preferred the blonde of the twosome, too.

Maybe they'd be glad he was gone. They were finally free of that curly-haired annoying one that was a waste of space, anyway. He'd be forgotten by the end of the week.

-

"Look, man, we don't keep track of whether or not people leave the harbor, and how long for." The guy behind the counter was less-than-helpful.

"Look, my brother didn't come home last night, and his boat is missing, all I want to know is if he spoke to anyone in here before he left." The man shrugged.

"We shut at ten, so if he left after ten then I'm afraid I can't help."

Ryan rolled his eyes, and slammed his fist again, making the guy jump, and walked out.

Summer was waiting in her car, eating the bagel they'd picked up from the diner when they went looking for him.

"Is his boat there?"

Ryan just shook his head and climbed into the passenger seat. Downing the rest of his coffee. "So, he's left Newport, I think. His boats missing, but no one's seen him." Ryan sighed, leaning his head on the glass as Summer pulled out of the parking lot.

They'd been look for him for almost 3 and a half hours. They'd searched the beaches, the pier, they'd looked everywhere. But still had no hopes of finding him.

Ryan felt his phone in his pants pocket start vibrating. He straightened his legs and received his phone. Summer turned down her radio for him to talk into his phone. Without checking caller ID he answered.

"Ryan?"

Ryan froze.

His eyes bulged.

"Hi, Kirsten." He let out, trying to act happily. It sounded like a fake voice.

"Hi, honey. I was just saying that me and Sandy are about to leave LA, we're gonna pick up some breakfast and then we'll be home."

"Oh, great." Ryan said into the phone, hoping that it didn't sound at all sarcastic.

Summer gave him an alarmed look when she realised he was talking to Kirsten. She knew this wasn't gonna go down well – well, of course it wasn't, their son was missing and it was her and Ryan's fault.

"Okay, then, how're you and Seth? Is the house clean?" Ryan had always been jealous of Seth. When he first moved in, he seemed to have an ideal life. Everyone in Newport seemed to. But when you get to know them, see the real people they are. You realise that they all have their faults, insecurities.

But Seth, it was something different. Everyone in Newport seemed to have family problems, and they all seemed to be apparent. The bored housewives sleeping with their tennis instructors, the busy business men, sleeping with their sectaries, the rebellious teens that hated their parents because of what they'd become. But the Cohen family, they seemed different. They'd never had screaming arguments, Sandy and Kirsten were still very much in love, and showered Seth with everything he wanted, without spoiling him.

They seemed the perfect family.

So when Kirsten asked how him and Seth were, he felt loved and guilty at the same time. Things like that, people asking him how he was were still foreign to him. But he felt guilty, that he may have broken a family's happiness.

"Yeah… it's clean." He didn't answer the first question, hoping Kirsten would brush it off.

"Okay, honey. We'll see you soon; I'm not sure what time we'll be back, definitely before noon though. Bye, sweetie."

Ryan sighed and flipped the faceplate down and shoved it back into his pocket.

"What's going on?" Summer said. She was concentrating more on driving, though. If they weren't looking for Seth, and more concerned about that, they'd have realised the great awkward silence hanging over them.

The only reason they'd ever been friends, really, was because of Seth and Marissa. Seth and Marissa didn't have that problem, they were into a lot of the same things, they both loved punk music, they both pretty much despised Newport, so they'd never had that problem of getting along just 'cause they were dating each other's best friends.

Ryan and Summer on the other hand, always had that awkward thing going on. Sometimes when Summer would have to wait for Seth to finish having a shower or something, and Summer was stuck talking to Ryan, they'd be stuck on what to talk about, and usually having a less-than-mediocre conversation about the weather – which of course was always the same in Newport.

"Sandy and Kirsten. They're coming back before 12."

Summer nodded. "What are we gonna do, they're gonna notice that Seth's missing." She hissed.

"I know, Summer," Ryan snapped. "Look, you go home and shower, or whatever, I'll wait for them and tell them, and we're gonna have to think of some way to tell Marissa."

"Fine." Summer whispered, she didn't like being snapped at/being told what to do. But she wasn't in the mood to argue. Her boyfriend was God knows where, all because of her.

The rest of the ten-minute drive was set in awkward silence that they could both tell a mile off. Summer stopped outside the Cohen's house. "Ryan?" she asked before he exited the car. He turned around, the 2-hour sleep that he'd got finally taking its toll.

"Yeah?" He asked, stifling the yawn in the back of his throat.

"Did, did, we do anything you know, at the party?" He knew what she was asking.

"I… I don't know Summer, Seth asked the very same thing. And I just… I couldn't answer him." Ryan sighed.

"Cause, you know, I've only ever… slept with him." Summer mumbled, unsure of why she was saying all this to Ryan. Ryan nodded and saw the tears welling in her eyes, he hated it when anyone cried, he felt uncomfortable, and awkward, even more than he felt a couple minutes ago.

"We'll find him." He tried reassurance, but he wasn't any good with empathy either, so it was useless, he didn't know what she wanted him to say.

"Yeah, I know. I'll see you later." She tried smiling but it was no use. Ryan nodded and got out of the car, heading up the Cohen driveway.

-

"Seth, Ryan?" Sandy and Kirsten called through the house as they put down their night bags and looked around their surprisingly clean house for their boys.

Ryan sheepishly turned off the TV he'd put on just to make some noise in the background, he'd always complained about Seth talking too much, but as soon as he wasn't there, he missed his non-stop rambling.

He stood up, and shoved his hand in his pocket, he wasn't sure how he going to convey this. His hair was wet from where he'd just had a shower, and it dripped onto the back of his neck, blending in with the beads of sweat.

"Hey, honey." Kirsten's voice was so calm and collected, and she was always softly spoken. She hugged him. "How are you?"

"I'm… okay." He said, trying not to leave an exasperated sigh at the end of it.

Kirsten's blue eyes wandered the room. "Where's Seth?"

Ryan's eyes shut, and when the re-opened they were looking down at his feet. "I… I don't know."

"What'd you mean you don't know?" Her voice quivered.

"Kirsten, you may wanna… sit," he gestured behind her to the sofa. She nodded and seated herself, trying to keep herself calm. She looked round, for her husband and for Seth.

"What's going on?"

"Look, we had a… disagreement last night, and he went out, and he… hasn't been back since, he's got his boat, though, so…" He trailed off, and looked up, the salty tears were already welling her eyes up.

"I'm really, really, sorry, Kirsten. If you feel you don't want me in your house anymore, I understand, really, I do."

"Ryan, it's okay, I know how irrational Seth can be, he'll be back, once he realises how stupid he's being." Kirsten smiled, assuring herself.

"No, really Kirsten, he isn't being irrational."

"No, he is, I know Seth, he probably just got pissed or something," Kirsten laughed, trying to make herself think he'd be back, he wouldn't runaway. _He_ wouldn't do that.

"Kirsten, I don't think you understand." Kirsten was laughing, and it freaked Ryan out. She was laughing hysterically after she realised she didn't know where her son was.

Sandy came in and frowned. "Why is Kirsten laughing like a Hyena?" He asked, trying to crack a smile.

"Seth and Ryan had some petty argument last night, and now he left on his boat, don't you find that really funny, honey?"

"Is she doing drugs?" Sandy asked Ryan.

Ryan shook his head. "Me and Seth… he's gone Sandy."

Sandy calmed his wife from her hysterical laughter/crying. "What happened, Ryan?"

"Seth found out something, and I tried to talk it through, but he wouldn't listen, and… he went out, he wasn't here this morning so me and… Summer went looking for him."

"What did Seth find out, Ryan?" Kirsten had stopped laughing, and was staring at Ryan with the same concern as Sandy. The same concern he'd been looking for a couple of minutes ago.

"Me and Summer… we kissed, that other night, when we got drunk." His head lowered, along with his dignity and pride.

"Ah." Sandy sighed. And then Kirsten was hysterical again, but in tears. "Now, that is serious. And you said his boat's gone?"

"Yeah, I asked the guy there if anyone had seen him, but he wasn't much help." Sandy stood up, and approached one of the French doors that lead of the house and towards the poolhouse. Ryan cautiously followed, making sure to stay a meter or so back.

"I understand if you don't want me to stay here with you anymore, really I do. You've helped me enough…" Ryan sighed.

"Ryan, look, we haven't come all this way for us to just give up on you. We're gonna treat you exactly the same as we treat Seth, okay? You're grounded, and you're to tell anyone else you and Summer might've hurt with this, sound fair?" Ryan nodded wordlessly. "Now, are you and Summer an item now or what…? Because when we find Seth, we're gonna have to come to some kind of arrangement or something…"

Ryan shook his head. "That won't be necessary, Sandy, we're not and never will be an item."

"Okay, well I'm glad that's settled. Now we can go and find Seth." Sandy said, passing his wife who was curled up on the sofa now. Ryan wanted anything else from Sandy, he wanted him to scream and shout at him, but he was acting so cool, like he was talking about an everyday thing like school or something. But both him and Kirsten's reactions had been nothing he'd expected.

-

"Um, excuse me, but do you mind if me and my wife sit here? It's just, there's no other tables." A man in his early twenties asked Seth.

Seth looked up from one of the Newspapers he'd been reading, to look at the man. "No, sure go ahead… I was thinking of leaving, soon anyway." Seth said.

"Oh thanks," A woman came out from behind the man and sat down next to him. "Hi, I'm Mark and this is my wife, Marie." He smiled, his wife's stomach was swelled up, and Seth had to smile at them.

"Seth." He said, sticking his hound out to be formal.

The waitress came and took the order off the young couple and then the couple looked at Seth.

"How old are you?"

"Umm, seventeen in September." Seth mumbled. He'd hoped when they'd come and sat with him, it'd mean they'd get on with their lives on one side of the table, while he did the same. Strangers didn't really talk to each other, and so it was irregular, Seth thought.

"Ahh, don't waste your life away, kiddo. Seventeen had to be one of the best years of my life."

"Oh, so the year before you met me, was one of the best years of your life?" His wife pouted and took a big chunk of the one of the pancakes the waitress had just put down.

"You know what I mean, honey bunny."

"Ew, don't call me pet names. Do I look like a pet?" All three laughed.

Mark smiled. "So are you from around here?"

"Um, no I live in Orange County."

"What're you doing here then?" Marie asked as she eyed up the menu.

"Holiday or something?" Mark finished for her.

"No, not exactly." The pair looked at him, eyebrows raised. And Seth felt the need to tell them everything about what'd happened. He hadn't had a chance to talk to anyone about anything, and he knew he needed to before he spontaneously combusted or something. "I kinda ran away, but not really."

"Huh?"

"Well, I just, I needed to get out of there, away from some people. But I'm not sure what happens now." Seth admitted looking down at his third half cup of coffee. When he realised, after his first, that he had nowhere to go, he decided to camp out there for as long as possible. He'd been in there for three hours now.

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Marie's first question after finding out what'd happened. She rested the hand on top of her stomach that was only just about showing. Her motherly instincts kicking in already.

"Well… no, but I'm sure I could find somewhere or something…"

"Look, kid, we're not gona leave you all alone, and I mean this is rash and we're strangers but you look trustable. Just come stay with us for a couple days, 'till everything's sorted out at home." Mark said as he looked at his wife, as if asking permission.

"No, I really… I couldn't do that to you…"

"Please? Just so we know you're at least safe, call it our good deed or something," Marie smiled. Seth bit his lip; he was reminded of when his parents took Ryan in. He shook his head ridding himself of them thoughts.

"Okay, yeah, thank you. It really, it means so much."

"It's okay, kid. We're not just about leave you wandering the streets, are we?" Mark laughed and leaned back, putting an arm around Marie. She smiled at the touch.

"Yeah, you can stay with us as long as you like."

Seth smiled, maybe things weren't so horrible.

-

"Hey, guys." Marissa said slipping into the booth of the diner and planting a kiss on Ryan's cheek. "Where's Seth?" She asked, referring the fourth member of the core four.

Ryan swallowed and Summer looked down at her glass of Orange Juice. They were both raging a war.

"Guys?" Marissa asked, worriedly about her best friend and boyfriend.

"He's… he's gone." Summer replied shakily.

"Oh my God, he left? Why would he do that?" Marissa slipped out of her side and onto Summer's side. And hugged her. "He's a jackass if-,"

"No, Marissa. He didn't leave, just randomly. He had a reason." Ryan butted in, in a total out-of-character way. He felt it up to himself to make sure that Seth was kept the good guy, him and Summer the bad.

"Why what happened?" Marissa asked. She nudged Summer. "Did you guys fight again?"

"No. It's much bigger." Summer mumbled, playing with her fingers in her lap.

"What's going on?" Marissa's playful mood was gone; she sensed the seriousness in her friends. This was something important.

"_We_ were the ones that argued." Ryan said, lowering his own head, too. It seemed he couldn't make eye contact with anyone, anymore.

"About…?" Marissa urged.

"Look, Marissa, please don't be mad with us, I mean, we didn't mean to, but we still did it, and we're bad people, and-," Summer was interrupted.

"Me and Summer kissed."

Once the words were said, the whole diner seemed to quieten. Although there wasn't many people in there at the time. Marissa let the realization settle in.

"You and him?" Marissa asked, incredulously. Summer nodded guiltily.

"Oh."

"I'm so sorry. It was at that party, you know when you and Seth just… disappeared." Summer said, as if justifying herself by telling her best friend they did it because they weren't there.

Marissa bit her lip, but handled it maturely. She straightened her posture and move further away from Summer until she was out of the booth. "You and Me, are no longer friends," She said to Summer. "And Ryan, we're no longer together." She said to Ryan, flicking the hair out her eyes. "I hope you're both happy. I _will_ see you both, unfortunately, 'cause I'm gonna help look for Seth, which I'm sure Sandy and Kirsten are doing. And, just so you know, Seth and me got bored of the party, that night. So we went for a walk, and we were planning your Birthday party, Summer. Goodbye."

The goodbye sounded so final. So 'end of'. Summer slipped out of the booth, too. And walked out, without so much as a goodbye to Ryan.

Things were seriously screwed, once more, in the land of Newport.

-

**Sorry that it's been sooooo long since my last update! I gave up writing temporarily. But I'm back, yay! I have a couple chapters I need to catch up on, and I have a couple of oneshots in mind. But I'm gonna try harder to write now. (: Thanks for your support!**


	3. Grounds For Divorce

**I know no one writes OC stories anymore, or SS stories. But I felt the need to finally finish up some loose ends I left, and write a few one shots that were on my mind. I'm really sorry, it was never my intention to give up writing, but after the 4****th**** season ended, I felt that my stories no way reflected the characters that Seth and Summer ever became and kind of didn't want to write on them. But I have recently re-watched all 4 seasons 5 years later and have a flare to write again.**

00000

Seth still couldn't sleep. He had been staying with Marie and Mark for 2 days now, and their guest room was perfect. Blackout blinds, comfy sheets, and a huge bed. But no matter what, he just couldn't sleep. Every time he closed him eyes, all he could was imagine Summer and Ryan kissing. Like it was burned into his retina.

His cell phone battery had died so he had no way of knowing if anyone was contacting him. He could have easily asked Mark or Marie to borrow one, but he just didn't want to know. He wondered if Marissa knew yet. Or if Ryan and Summer were now Newport's hottest couple.

He had decided today was his make or break decision day. He knew he couldn't stay in Mark and Marie's guest room forever, as kind as they were to him, he just couldn't outstay his welcome, especially with Marie looking like she was about to give birth.

Seth looked at the alarm clock next to his bed and realised it was 9am already, he had been awake all night, just thinking about everything. All of his options.

He got up and dressed and made his way downstairs of Mark and Marie's home. It was a lovely modest home, nothing like anywhere in Newport, but he could tell they both really loved it. His guest room was next to the soon-to-be baby's room and he always peeked in. He could tell how happy they were.

Mark and Marie's kitchen was also nowhere near the impressive size of his own, but it was again nice and modest. Marie was sat at the breakfast bar drinking orange juice and reading the paper. She looked up at Seth and smiled.

"I hope you slept well," She commented, as she also rubbed her hand across her stomach.

"Yeah, great," Seth lied. He didn't her to think it was anything to do with her guest room she was so kindly letting him stay in.

"You think your parents are missing you yet?" She asked.

"Yeah, todays the day of the big decision," He sighed and leant against the counter.

"Can I ask why you ran away?" Marie looked concerned.

"It's just, my Dad took in this guy, he had a troubled background, you know Mom an alcoholic, Dad in prison, brother in trouble," Seth trailed off and Maried nodded and listened. "My parents adopted him and we were like, brothers, you know. I never ever had a friend before him, let alone a brother. He helped me with so much this year. He helped me get the girls of my dreams, he helped me to come out of my shell, you know," Seth smiled just thinking about the last year. "And then me, my girlfriend, and him and his girlfriend were at a party and they were drunk and kissed. As in my girlfriend and him. He just betrayed my trust."

Marie looked up at him with an empathic look on her face. "A kiss is just a kiss you know…"

"I know, I wouldn't have minded if it was like, someone else she had kissed, but she kissed _him_ you know. And I mean like she tried to hit on him when he first came to town. I guess I was always expecting it."

"Have you kissed anyone else since you've been with her?"

"Well yeah, I mean, we were kind of on a break, so I guess it doesn't count," Marie nodded furiously. "Okay it did count, but we made up, and it wasn't exactly the same, really." Seth didn't like remembering that part of the Las Vegas trip.

"Want my advice?" Marie asked, Seth nodded furiously, because he needed just one push in the right direction to get him running. He just needed some kind of assurance. He was only 16 and still needed advice. "I say go back, face the music. He's always gonna be your brother, and she's always gonna hold your heart. What's the point in running from the inevitable? Plus you know, you're only 16, your parents are gonna drag you kicking and screaming back and you know it." Marie laughed and Seth smiled lightly.

Seth walked round the unit and hugged her. "I'm going to go back. You're right, I've got to step and be a man," he said feigning muscles and pulling away from the hug. She giggled. "Thanks for your's and Mark's help, you've been great to me." He pulled a note pad off the counter and wrote on it. "My number and email address, please tell me when the baby makes an appearance."

"It's been great Seth, and yeah totally. Thanks for letting us help you, preparing us for when we have our own 16 year old around the house."

00000

Summer slept in his bed, she had slept here for the past 2 nights just hoping he would come back and see her there between his sheets and instantly forgive here. And if that wasn't going to happen, at least she could smell his Cohen-y smell while Captain Oates looked over her. She had barely slept though, she was figuring out how she could make this up to him when he came back.

Kirsten had turned a blind eye to the young girl sleeping over. She was too concerned for her son; they had phoned every nearby docks trying to find an appearance of her Son's boat. She didn't resent Summer and Ryan. She just resented what they had done to her poor son, she wished she would have been here when he had been so upset so she could take him in her arms and just hold him until he felt better.

She was in the middle of emailing all the local docks with a picture of Seth and a description of his boat when Summer came downstairs. She hadn't seen the younger girl smile in days. She wore the same jeans everyday but always opted to wear one of Seth's t-shirts she made fun of so much, and she hadn't worn make up in days. Kirsten didn't need to resent her, Summer resented herself enough at the moment as it was.

Ryan didn't feel worthy to be with the Cohen's anymore. He had pushed their son to run away and for that he felt truly terrible. He had thought about running away himself, but he figured it would just add to their pain and he would never know if Seth was okay.

Marissa was trying to help Sandy and Kirsten in any way possible. She would come over every morning with fresh bagels and she would start the coffee machine for everyone and then help Kirsten call around places. She hadn't spoken to Ryan or Summer since that day, even though they had all been in the same room since. She was more concerned with finding Seth, she knew how he felt and wanted to help him.

Kirsten, Marissa and Summer were sat in the family room around the table with their coffees on coasters and their cell phones and all the house phones on the table as well. Marissa was on a laptop looking up marina numbers and Kirsten was phoning through places. Summer felt like the odd one out, every time she tried to help, she wasn't exactly pushed out, but it was made pretty clear that her help was not needed. But she stayed anyway; she wanted to be one of the first to know when Seth was found.

Ryan never left the poolhouse when he knew Summer was going to be around. Which was annoying for him, because she was always round. He had tried to speak to Marissa, to try and sort it out. She had just brushed him off; she refused to speak to him until Seth had been found.

Kirsten was on the phone to what seemed like the tenth marina call line she had called that day and Marissa was phoning local hotels around popular boating areas. They all knew that Seth's Credit Card for emergencies hadn't been used yet, but just in case. As they were still frantically searching, the door behind them swung open.

Summer's eyes widened and her mouth hung agape. She wondered if it was a hallucination from the lack of sleep. But it wasn't. Seth was there, behind the door. She had only seen him 3 days ago, but it seemed like a lifetime. Kirsten and Marissa hung up on whoever they were speaking to without so much as a goodbye and ran and hugged Seth, smiling and probably crying as well.

Summer also wanted to rush him and hug him and smell him, and feel him, but she knew that he probably wouldn't want that. And Summer had decided to be all about what Cohen wanted now.

"I'm so sorry, Mom," She could hear Seth murmuring into his Mom's hair and it almost broke her heart.

00000

**Please let me know what you think and where you would like the story to go now that Seth is back.**


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